OCR Text |
Show III 01 STlir&JTO S Si if 1 1S i Bir u u m b i l a 4p I Progressive Republican League Formed By Prominent Men Washington, Jan. 23. Organization of the Republican Progressive League by "Progressive" Republican senators m k representatives, governors and oih- ers an organization which will seslt to fight for the establishment of pop-V pop-V ular government was announced here today. m- Plnns of the new league, which S have been under way since the as-; as-; ambling- of congress, were conclud-i conclud-i ' ed at a meeting here Saturday night 1 when a declaration of principles was signed, a constitution adopted and the ! ' following officers elected: ' : President Senator Johnathnn ; : Bourne, Jr., Oregon, First Vice President Representa- ; : tive George W. Nonis,, Nebraska. ' Second Vice President Goxernor ; . Chas Osborne, Michigan. ; Treasurer Charles R Crane. Chi-; Chi-; cago. I Executive Committee Senator ; Moses B. Clai)p, Minnesota: Senator Joseph L Bristow, Kansas, Representative Represen-tative E, H. Hubbard. Iowa; Repiesen- ; tative Irvine L. Lenroot. Wisconsin: Ropiesentative-elect William Kent, California; Gifford Pinchot, Pennsyl- f'Yania: George L. Record, New Jer- Gey, and the president, vice prcsi- dents, treasurer, membors ex-officio. The declaration of principles, sign- I ed by nine Republican United States 1 senators, the governors of six Republl-jf Republl-jf can states, thirteen members of the house and others, follows- . Declaration of Principles. i . ' "We, the undersigned, associate our- ; sMves together as the National Pro- gresslve Republican league. "The object of the league is the l ! promotion of popular government and ; progressive legislation. f ; "Popular govemmeut in America ! , has been thwarted and progressive ; legislation strangled by the special I, ) interests, which control caucuses,, dl-, ' egates, conventions and pa'-ty organ- izntions, and, through control of the machinerj of government; " dictate i ; nominations and platforms, elect ad- 3 ministrations, legislators, representn- n Uveg in congress and United States j I senators and control cabinet officers, i ft. "Under existing conditions, legislu-j i L :" tiou in the public interest lias been I ' baffled and defeated This is evidenc-1 ed bv the long struggle to secure lawr i but partially effective, for the control ; c of railway rales and services, the re- ' , vision of the tariff in the interest of j t the producer and consumer, statutes I; dealing with trusts and combinations ; based on sound economic principles" as applied to modern industrial and commercial conditions, a wise, com-j com-j prchenslve and impartial loconstuic- lion of the banking and monetary laws, 'I ; ; the conservation of coal, iron, gas. ' timber, water powers and other na-d na-d tural resources belonging to the peo-Z peo-Z pie, and for the enactment of ail legis-; legis-; lation solely for the common gcod j ; "Just In proportion as popular gov-5 gov-5 eminent has In certain states super's' super-'s' seded the delegate convention sys- 2 tern, and the people have assumed i i control of the machinery of govern-ft govern-ft ment. has government become respon-fi respon-fi , sive to the popular will and progres-jj progres-jj : aive legislation been secured. m "Tbe Progiessive Republican league i believes popular government is fund- Bamental to all other questions. To i this end It advocates: J! "The election of United States sen-U; sen-U; ators b direct vote of th people. J i ! "Direct primaries for the nomina-5l' nomina-5l' tion of all elective officials. g: i "The direct election of delegates ? 'to national conventions with oppor- rtunity for the voter to express his g choice for president and vice presl-B presl-B 'dent. , r "Amendment to state constitutions providing for the initiative, referendum referen-dum and recall. "A thorough general corrupt practice prac-tice act. ' "The league will co-opernto with ; progressives in the several states and : wherever acceptable, will render as- ; sistance in promoting the orgauiza- ! tiou of state leagues. "Whenever requested by any .Progressive .Pro-gressive state league or by pVogres-; pVogres-; sive leaders in state legislatures, the Rational Progressive Republican JjLeaguo will aid in the preparations of appropriate bills and resolutions 'land will furnish speakers and litera-Iture litera-Iture In support of legislative action upon the proposition, enumerated in athe five numbered paragraphs set forth In the foregoing declaration of i principles " (Sigaed.') r "United States senators: "JOPfNATHAN BOURNE, Jr., Ore. 1 "ALBERT J. BEVERIDGE. Indiana. "JOSEPH L. BRISTOW. Kansas, ft "NORRIS BROWN. Nebraska. 3 "ALBERT B CUMMINS, Iowa. T "MOSES E. CLAPP. Minnesota. I1 "JOSEPH M DIXON. Montana. i' "A. J. GRONNA, North Dakota. ; rROBERT H. LaFOLLETTE, WIs- , J;consln "ft ) Governors: tf lh "Chester If. Aldrich, Nebraska. . 12 tf "Joseph M. Carey, Wyoming. m S "Hiram W Johnson. California aj "Francis E McGovcrn: Wisconsin. ijW -"Chaso Osborne, Micliigan. bw'H "W- R- Stubbs. Kansas. HrTS 0n?rcssmon: rm 'Hry Allen Cooper, Wisconsin. a3i "Wlliam J- Cnry, Wisconsin. "l&M "C R- David Minnesota. i !'.E H Hubai-tl Iowa-&r Iowa-&r "' ' auSeu Towa. ittj? "Irvene Lenroot, Wisconsin. Its? "C A. Llnborgh. Minnesota, ffi "Victor Murdock, Kansas. jrtij "E. II. Madison, Kansas. S3 i "B. A Morse. Wisconsin. ?gVil, "John M. Nelson. Wisconsin. JSjjpl' 'Miles Polndexter, Washington. "21 OtMcr signers include: i5?f "Ray Stannard Baker, Massachu-jP?Ectts. Massachu-jP?Ectts. JW'i "Louis D, Brandols, Masaachueetts. 3j? "Charles R. Crane, Illinois. "James R Garfield. Ohio. "Francis J. Heney, California. "Fred J. Jackson, (Congressman elect) Kansas. 'William T Kent, (Congressman; elect-). California. -v l . I'William A. LaFollette, (Congressman-elect), Washington. "Glftorg Pinchot, Pennsylvania. ' . S. U'Ren, Oregon. "Merdlc Vincent, Colorado. "William Allen White, Kansas." Purpose of the League. Senator Bourne, president of the league, made. the following statement in regard to its organization and pm-poses: pm-poses: "The declaration of princfplcs of the National Progressive League speaks for Itself While its membership member-ship is confined to those who believe the Republican part yrepresented by Progressive Republicans offers the most encouragement for the establishment estab-lishment of these principles, there is no purpose to make it a political organization or-ganization In the sense of the promoting pro-moting of the political fortunes of any man or men. The enactment of legislation legis-lation carrying out the programme Is Its sole purpose and It stands ready, whenever acceptable, to assist the Democratic, as well as R(t ijjlican legislators to secure legislation. I "The league will at once enter upon an aggressive campaign. State leagues will be organized and, upon I request, furnished with bills, litera-j litera-j ture and speakers. Permanent head- quarters will be maintained for carrying car-rying on the work. ' "Precise uniformity of legislation in i the different states is not to bo ex-' ex-' pected. Account must be taken of the conditions In each state as to the details of the legislation t6 bo urged, the object being to insure popular I government in the end. I 'Membership in the National Pro-j Pro-j grcssive Republican League consists of those who signed the declaration of principlcs-nnd constitution and of those who may hereafter bo elected by , a majority vote of the members. "I expect to devote my entire time I to the work of the league so far as , my official duties will permit. The ; league will be a permanent organiza-: organiza-: tion and its founders have made their ! plans for a continuance of its vork for a number of years." |